, 1887-04-21

SuS1 Ills it az
CHIEF JUSTICE BLECKLEY studies without as
sistamr,.. as there was then not a lawyer in
the county In '4S he came to Atlanta. This
story is related as the history of that steI:
The Western and Atlantic railroad a valuable
property h1ilt and still owned by Georgia,
was then operated by the state. Young Bleck-
ley learned up in Rabun that the bOokkeeper
of the road had died Considering himself
competent bookkeeper, which he was, in fact,
he Immediately addressed n communication
to the governor acquainting him OF his quail.
fcations, and stating that he would be down
OH n certain train, and at a certain hour, to
take the position. At that hour he presented
himself at the executive office and said he had
| come to go to work. The governor looked
him over, and asked:
"Are you the young man who wrote me
that letter from Rabun!n
~ am, sir" y
"WelI, have kept the place for you"
This may he merely legend, but after
coming to Atlanta Judge Beckley was ap-
pointed secretary and boOkkeeper of the
Western and Atlantic railroad, a responsible
position, which he filled acceptably for three
years, when Governor Towns appointed him
one of the secretaries of the executive de-
pGrtment. At the close of the year, Governor
Towns term expiring, BleCkley thought he
was threatened with consumption and
went back TO his mountain home to die, but
when spring came he had gained forty
pounds He then returned to Atlanta to
practice law. The year following he was
elected solicitor general of the COweta cir
cult, then very large one. In 1857 he mar
ried Miss IIaTalson, OF La Grange, a daurl er
of Gen. Hugh HARRISON. Another daughter
married Gen. John B. Gordon, now governor
of Georgia, who was at one time associated
with Dieckley in the law practice
JuIge Bieckley's military career was brief
and unevcutTul. He was o"nosed to seces-i III
as al GI .ctEal measure, but acquiesced when
South Can olina seeded. In 1861 he entered
camn as adjutant and inspector of a bT!t-II,le,
but soon after went with cavalry CON. any
to Virginia At the end of the Year his
healtii failed so that he was discharged. In
'65 and &c he was one of state commission
to draft a code for the government of the
freedmen. This was fruitless and rather
erratic undertaking. 1t is recorded
that one of the commissioners, with
some Of the old notions still in his head, in
sisted that provision be inserted tilut every
negro, in going about, be required to carry q
pass.
In 1915 Judge Bleckley was appointed an
associate justice of the supreme court by
Governor Smith. His decisions while on the
bench were remarkably sound in law, or
| iginal. unique, often quaint and humorous.
They run through the reports OF that period
| rich, warm and sparkling. But being pre-
eminentIy all honest man he always dreaded
| to 60 on record with decision not thoroughly
| studied, and the consequent close application
brought on mental and physical exhaustion,
anil in 1880, tired OF mind and broken III
health, he resigned
Alarmed about his health, he ''tOok to the
woods" again, as he expressed it, He built a
cabin on Screamer mountain at an altitude
of Z. GOO feet, in sight of his oil home, and
there lived and roughed it-a hermit-until
Ii. resained his health. a few months ago,
on the death of Chief Justice Jackson, he was
appointed to the vacancy until the summer
session OF the general assembly. Aycrse to
Office, l., was reluctant to 90 ulon ihe bench
again, uuI it is not Leii. le VIII ncc' pit
election from the l-'-.i- ."s,.rc, f'ii u he
| may lave ii if Ie = a. &. y. NILS.